Microsoft Just Put A Hardware Guy In Charge Of Its TV Business

Microsoft has put a hardware veteran in charge of its interactive
TV business, suggesting that the company is working on an answer
to Google TV and Apple TV.

Tom Gibbons headed Microsoft Hardware -- keyboards and mice,
which was a small but profitable business for years -- before
joining the Windows Phone team in 2009.

There, he led the group that oversaw hardware reference designs
for the Windows Phone 7 handsets. Those are the guidelines that
dictate every Windows Phone must have three buttons, a particular
type and size of touch screen, and so forth.

Last week, his corporate
bio got an update Gibbons is now the corporate VP in charge
of Microsoft's TV and Service business. The change was noticed by
Microsoft-watcher Mary Jo Foley
earlier today.

Microsoft has been rumored to be working on some sort of new TV
or video service since last
fall. One report
said the devices would run the Windows Embedded operating
system overlaid with the Media Center interface and start around
$200. They were supposed to debut at CES in January, but never
showed up.

With Gibbons now leading the charge, the company is probably
trying to find hardware partners to build boxes to run the
service -- just like it did with Windows Phone 7. And just like
Google initially did with Google TV.

Another possibility: Microsoft might try to work directly with TV
makers to build the service directly into new TVs. Google has
also taken this approach, along with many other video service
providers.

The company has had an
awful history in the TV business, but
some analysts think that its presence in the living room with
the Xbox could help it dominate quickly. Microsoft also has
strong relationship with Netflix, whose CEO Reed Hastings is on
the company's board of directors.